California Funding Agricultural Replacement Measures for Emission Reductions Program (FARMER)

The Funding Agricultural Replacement Measures for Emission Reductions (FARMER) Program provides funding through local air districts to upgrade agricultural harvesting equipment, heavy-duty trucks, agricultural pump engines, tractors, and other equipment used in agricultural operations. Upgrading older equipment will reduce emissions thanks to newer technology standards.

Eligible project types included in the FARMER Program will reduce criteria pollutants, toxic air contaminants, and GHG emissions from agricultural sources. Furthermore, agricultural regions are often surrounded by disadvantaged and low‑income communities and employ many of the residents living in these communities.

Addressing the air quality and climate change impacts of vehicles and equipment used in agricultural operations is a multi‑year effort and the proposed FARMER Program Guidelines set the foundation for a long-term emission reduction program.

FARMER is a cost-share, and the percentage depends on what you are replacing. All figures below are from the 2024 FARMER Program Guidelines (Board-approved 10/24/2024). You apply through your local air district, not CARB, and districts can set additional local limits.

Maximum share CARB will pay

• Off-road repowers: "85% of the eligible costs"

• Mobile or portable combustion equipment replacement: "80% of the eligible costs"

• Zero-emission equipment replacement: "85% of the eligible costs"

• On-road heavy-duty: "The FARMER Program provides up to 65% of the purchase price of an eligible replacement vehicle, including used vehicles."

• Zero-emission agricultural UTV: "up to $13,500 or 75% of the eligible costs for a new, zero-emission agricultural UTV, whichever is less"

• Small-producer used off-road equipment replacement: "a cost-effectiveness limit of $60,000 per weighted ton of emission reductions, up to 80% of the replacement equipment cost"

Your required contribution

• "An applicant that is not a public entity must provide at least 15% of a project's FARMER Program eligible cost from non-public sources. The applicant cost share cannot be covered through in-kind contributions." A district can ask CARB to waive part of this case by case.

The hidden ceiling: cost-effectiveness. Even inside those percentages, grant size is capped by dollars per ton of emissions reduced over a 10-year project life: "$60,000" per weighted ton for mobile/combustion equipment replacement and repowers, "$120,000" per weighted ton for zero-emission equipment replacement and repowers. Older, higher-hour equipment reduces more emissions and so supports a bigger grant. "FARMER Program grants must not exceed a project's eligible cost."

Contract commitment

• "The minimum allowable project implementation phase of the contract term for off-road projects is three years."

• UTV recipients must "Enter into a contractual agreement with the air district for a minimum of three years" and keep the vehicle for the duration.

• "At least 75% of a project's total activity over the project life must occur in" California agricultural operations.

• Replaced equipment is scrapped: the baseline unit must be surrendered "to be permanently destroyed by an air district-approved dismantler/salvage yard."

• Do not buy first — you must "Not purchase, make payments toward, and/or take possession of the replacement" unit before receiving a fully executed contract.

No single statewide per-applicant dollar ceiling is published, which is why award.max is empty here.

Contact your local air district to apply: District Contacts.

• FARMER Program - April 2022 Additional Project Categories

• FARMER Guidelines: https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/farmer-program/farmer-program-guidelines

• Find Your Air District

• Air District FARMER Contacts

• Application Information